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2013 TED Fellow Cyrus Kabiru Kicks Back At Santa Monica Boys & Girls Club

Posted Mar. 7, 2013, 11:55 am

Mirror Staff

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Monica will host an hour-long kick-back session tonight, March 7 featuring a conversation between Cyrus Kabiru, 2013 TED (Technology, Entertainment & Design) Fellow, and Warren Brand, President of Branded Arts and long-time supporter of SMBGC.

A self-taught artist from Kenya,  Kabiru was recently awarded a 2013 TED Fellowship for his spectacular 'spectacles,' which he has been making since childhood, but also his commitment to working with rural communities in Kenya to teach people about environmental sustainability through his workshops.

This evening event, which will be attended by 50 of SMBGC’s Club members, will focus on Cyrus’s innovative eyewear sculptures which were inspired by his immediate environment growing up near the largest trash dump in Nairobi.

In “giving trash as second chance,” Cyrus’ work not only possesses a strong environmental message, but also contains the stories of Africa’s past, present, and future.

“I was called a ‘bad example’ by my father when I was growing up because I was no good at school work. But, through my art, I’ve become a role model for Nairobi youth and a champion of turning creativity and passion into action,” said Kabiru. “It is important while in Los Angeles to spend time with the Boys and Girls Club to share my experiences, as I firmly believe that with a little time and commitment, mentors can make a difference from any background.”

Brandwill lead Friday's event that will touch on Cyrus’ artistic path and relationship to found materials and the environment.

More than 60 of Kabiru’s C-STUNNER creations are on display at Frank Pictures until this Saturday, March 9, at Bergamot Station.

The youth outreach events are part of a whole tour supported by Stunner of the Month, a monthly sunglasses subscription company that offered to put on a series of events to showcase Kabiru’s C-STUNNER and to help one stunner from another.

A portion of artwork sales will be donated to the Kuona Trust, a non-profit dedicated to nurturing creative and intellectual development in youth by exposing them to hands-on art activities.

Cyrus plans to develop a series of community workshops to educate youth in Kenya’s rural communities about the recycling of waste materials and caring for the environment while making art.

The Santa Monica Boys and Girls Club is located at 1220 Lincoln Blvd in Santa Monica.